


I'll Be Good

by XingPanda



Series: justice will prevail, you say? [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, Mentions of underage drinking, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, but he's trying his best!, marine AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 15:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16410686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XingPanda/pseuds/XingPanda
Summary: Seventeen-year old Doflamingo makes a mistake but it's okay.





	I'll Be Good

People didn’t really know what to make of the younger Donquixote brother.

Rosi was quiet. The general consensus was that he was probably shy, maybe even scared of talking to people. He seemed nice, though, everyone said. Sweet kid, very genuine. Easy to talk to...or at. Mainly at. He was kind of just, always around? No one can really remember a time without little Rosi grabbing at Sengoku’s coat.

He was nice, though...really he was, they all said. Just a little off. Something in his eyes, oft covered by unruly blond curls, that made him seem like he had seen something he wasn’t meant to have seen. He had a sort of mature nature that didn’t quite match his lanky build and teenage acne. At fifteen years old, it was clear that Rosi had undergone things that most children couldn’t imagine even in their worst nightmares.

He was different from his big brother. Doflamingo was loud. He was almost always talking. He loved to talk. And he was constantly fidgeting and moving around, his every move screaming for attention. Doffy radiated chaotic, in your face energy. You noticed when he walked in a room. He brought with him all the swagger of youth and the heavy handed posturing of someone with something to hide.

They all wondered what the teen hid behind those ever present tinted glasses. A betting pool had been floating around ever since Doflamingo appeared at the base seven years ago. But if Doffy had his way, and Doffy made a point of always having his way, then no one would ever find out.

Some things were best kept secret. For peace of mind and to keep unwanted questioning to a minimum. People were always so concerned with things that frankly weren’t any of their damn business.

So what if Rosi was quiet? A lot of people were quiet. And it’s not like he doesn’t talk, Rosi could often be seen making conversation with his brother or Sengoku. And if sometimes he gets a far off look in his eyes and doesn’t speak at all for a few days? So damn what! Doffy was tired of the whispers. Gossip hurt his fucking ears unless he was the one spreading the rumors.

Telling everyone that Akainu wears a toupee? Hilarious! Great humor!

Overhearing that people think your brother has mental problems cause he’s always tripping over his too large feet and he doesn’t talk much? Not good. Feels bad. Doffy could do without that. And both of the brothers mental illnesses were none of anyone’s damn business!

Which is what Doffy snapped at a frightened lieutenant after overhearing him say something snide about Doflamingo wearing his sunglasses indoors.

Then suddenly before Doffy even realized it, the lieutenant was on the ground, knocked out cold.

Doffy barely noticed he was the one who did it. He just gets so angry. Fuck he’s better than this. He’s been trying to work on keeping his more volatile emotions in check but anger comes quick to him. Easier to feel than happiness or pain. It’s like just under his skin is a layer of fire and the second something happens it just bursts right out, burning anyone in reach.

He doesn’t want to hurt people though.

Scratch that.

He doesn’t want to hurt those he cares about.

Doffy knows Rosi gets scared when he has angry outbursts. He’s seen how Rosi’s muscles tense and how he presses his lips tightly together.

Doflamingo doesn’t want to hurt his brother. He never wants Rosi to get hurt ever again. There’s a part of Doffy that wants to find anyone who’s ever hurt him or his brother and beat them senseless. He wants to feel the crack of their bones under his strings. But that’s wrong, he knows that’s wrong. Those thoughts scare even himself.

So he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. His therapist told him to do that when he felt angry. But he was always a little angry.

Maybe all seventeen-year old’s feel like this, he thought. Like ticking time bombs.

It’s not like he wanted to explode all the time. He wanted to be good. He was good. Rosi said he was good and Rosi didn’t lie.

Doflamingo had made a lot of progress since…ah no he wasn’t allowed to think about that. That was when he was bad and he’s not bad anymore.

Right. Damage control. Gotta make sure he didn't accidentally kill that guy.

Doffy looked around. No one else in the hallway. Nice. He didn’t want witnesses to his minor breakdown. He squatted next to the unconscious marine and checked his pulse.

Cool. Still beating.

Doffy sighed as he used his strings to lift the man up. Sengoku was going to be disappointed. That’s fine. Doffy can deal with disappointment. It means someone cares enough to think he can be better.

Maybe he just wouldn’t tell Sengoku. Yeah, that’s an idea. He’ll just drop this dude off at the med quarter and walk away. Sengoku never needs to know.

No. He’ll find out somehow. Doffy just needed to take responsibility for his actions. Set a good example for his little brother.

He had started off kind of rough in that department and he’s been trying to make up for it ever since.

Rosi doesn’t flinch when he gets too close anymore. That’s good. That took a little while to get past.

Of course it did. Doffy killed their…nope. Nope. Not right now.

He just needs to focus on acting normal for about two minutes, enough time to drop off his latest mistake and exchange pleasantries with a nurse. He could do that.

And then he could drink. Oh yeah. He needs a drink or five. Maybe like a whole bottle. Just enough to get his mind to finally stop thinking about bad, wrong things. Because he’s good now.

So, he handed the lieutenant off to a nurse who probably asked Doffy what happened. Doffy thinks he answered her…maybe. He can’t remember. He might have just shrugged and walked away. Stupid. He needs to get better at faking it. Maybe he’ll talk to his therapist about it.

Or maybe he’ll just flop down on his bed and not interact with any human beings for the rest of eternity. Or until he runs out of stolen whiskey. Whichever comes first.

Rosi was already in their room, sitting at their small corner desk, when Doffy wandered in. He looked up from his book as Doflamingo entered and flopped face-first down on Rosi’s bed.

Rosi marked his place before putting his book down and moving to sit on the floor near the head of his bed.

Rosi watched his brother for a moment before Doflamingo moved to face him. Rosi couldn’t tell what Doffy was thinking and signed for him to take his glasses off.

This was a new thing they were trying. It was a way for Rosi to have control and for Doffy to show trust. Doffy only took his glasses off when he slept or when Rosi asked.

Doffy grunted and pushed his glasses up to his forehead. His lone seeing eye was bloodshot from lack of sleep. The other eye stayed closed.

Rosi leaned over and stroked a hand through Doffy’s hair. It was one of the only ways Rosi had found to comfort his brother. Their mother used to gently stroke their hair as they fell asleep so it had seemed like the natural thing to do.

Doffy blinked slowly up at Rosi’s face, meeting his brother’s eyes. Rosi looked like their mom. Something in the shape of his eyes and the curve of his smile. It was nice to think she hadn’t died without leaving something behind.

Doffy closed his eye and allowed the soft, repetitive motion to put him to sleep. And for once in what felt like forever, he had no dreams.


End file.
